Every thought had been relocated to remembering everything she could about strongly bred horses. Each had a founding sire which was owned by a member of the manor. Giving the strengths of each one to pass onward to their foals. It was hard keeping her eyes upon each and every one, as others fought to gain loyalties with their own mount.

Fingers graceful touched blades of grass, while feet moved over small rocks. Colors of earth tones snorted pawing their muscled legs outward. Browns with long black manes, Blacks holding onto white stockings and the ever stunning deep reds of chestnuts with fire like tails swished past her.

Siana began to worry when one by one each stallion began his descent away from her. Having a shimmer of hope when a large bay rose to his haunches, striking the air with hooves bigger than her face. He gave a scream before charging, only to gallop right past her towards a male in her age group They fought like to graceful soldiers, the male shifting out of the stallions strikes while wearing him out.

Catching a glimpse of War off in the distance, when his eyes seemed to sink with the same feeling as her heart. She stood unknowing what to do now, returning to War seemed like failure. One that would already be showing on her face. Looking at the many stallions gazing away from her, Siana plucked a blade of grass twisting it between her fingers.

A heavy snort behind her was heard way before, as the intricate beats of War’s stallion gave his growing presents to Siana’s ears. His hand fell down to her eyes, but even the small gesture was enough to harder her emotions once more.

Come, we have another valley in which to seek” She thought it pointless to keep looking, only to fail in front of everyone more than once. Turning from him to walk off, Siana’s chin was grabbed making her eyes rise to his darker ones.

“Do not look so defeated, you came for what you need. Not what you want, are you willing to walk away from that?” No she wasn’t, but her hope was drowning in a sea of thick emotions even she couldn’t swim through.

“Get on.” His decision to pull her upper arm was one she didn’t fight. Dropping her butt in front of reins, Siana didn’t even make a fuss. War gave a slight click of tongue holding his frown down. Galloping smoothly towards the next valley, Siana raised eyes to a few whinnies far off in the distance. A direction War was not heading in. She looked up at him with a questionable look.

“Those are retired stallions, whose masters have long been removed.” He held not a shred of emotion across hard cheekbones, but his eyes shone something far more painful to Siana. Looking back over towards calls, Siana tugged on the rein shifting the horses direction. Growling at her War tried to correct his stallion, only to receive a heartfelt look from her.

Grumbling under heated breath War turned the large bay in the way she wished, he held down a light smile when her face light up. Slowing to even out eye rhythm War allowed Siana to look as they walked the fence line. Each horse bared scared, cuts and missing chunks from parts of his body. A product of going to battle, yet the creatures were healthy.

They walked around till War decided it was time to head to the valley. He’d just turned reins in order for his stallion to face away, the shrilling scream caught War’s breath. Having moments to snap neck around towards a battle cry so common to his hearing it was like that of a songbird. A mass of blistering smoky haze barreled for them, his brown earth tone eyes locked on Siana.

“Siana, run.” His words clicked over her ears when feet touched the grassy valley. Taking off into more open area Siana caught the silver shoes from War’s stallion as front hooves scrapped across blue skies. She didn’t know why he’d told her to run, wasn’t the point to be challenged.

It wouldn’t of mattered, that smoke of muscle lept over the fence spearing no real energy. Hooves thundering after her, making storms envious of each crashing hoof. She stood unable to move feet much less look away. Sheer muscle moved with his strides, they rippled down his thick neck till rolling over shoulders able to hold armor five times his own weight.

Battle scars darkened streaks across his body, giving him an almost lethal appearance. Dark eyes wore thick black liner, matting an even darker set of flaring nostrils.  Wild flips of mane snaps their fingers against rushing winds he was creating all on his own. He didn’t stop as he neared, giving Siana a small window of choices as she dodged his baring teeth.

Sitting on the edge of saddle War watched as both moved around each other. The stallions kicks sent to be her end, each one more powerful than the last. One misstep and Siana’s head would find a new resting place.

One of the older men rode beside War, his blue eyes never leaving the sight of both Stallion and Siana.

“War!” He growled out keeping watch.

“I know” He snarled back not able to look away himself. They stood silently for moments, when the male couldn’t hold his tongue anymore.

“Even if she gains him, she will never be able to have him.” War flicked one eye on the man, sending a warning of authority. He’d not need to be told about rules, he knew all about them. Each and every one.

Leaving War to do as he must, his eyes turned fully back towards Siana. In the time it took to deal with a comrade, she’d gotten the stallion by ana ear and muzzle. Turning his head to flank while her feet fought to keep balance. He watched not wanting to look away even to blink.

The moment he’d tried to take her head from shoulder, Siana knew he’d not tire out before her. Every blow was meant to kill her, just like in a real battle for her life. Siana waited for an opening, one where she’d be able to catch him off guard. Horses were sensitive about their ears, eyes and nose. The only other support- hooves. Seeing as how she’d not have a rope, or device to tie him down with, she’d have to make do with two hands.

An Inward step to his shoulder, a quick look of her right arm around his thick neck as finger grabbed his flaring nostrils. Her left hand taking a hold of his left ear, making him want to bend where she pulled, or face the pain of refusal. He cow kicked, trying to wrap a hoof around her leg, throwing Siana off balance. But her feet kept at just the right distance to avoid such a move.

She made it hard for him to breath, as horses normally do not breath from their mouth. But rather through nostrils. His heart beat thumped heavily against her back, keeping his eye set stone cold upon hers. It was hard holding him, he proved to be a worthy stallion for the cause of battles to come. Siana tried something different, something those whom lived around her would find foolish, or insane. But anything was worth a try even once.

Speaking slowly through his grunting, Siana held her words to an older tongue. One in which he’d most likely heard more of when charging into battle. Her words reassured him, their syllables rolling off her tongue smoother than milk. Each word a reminder to calm nature, to easy a spirit so wild it would race the winds of deserts.

Ever so slowly his body began to unclench blood pumping muscles, his other ear twitched. Turning this way and that to hear sounds around them. She gave him one more heartfelt saying before releasing him altogether. Shaking mane to rid the feeling of being overpowered, his eyes glared to hers. A hoof rose striking the air while popping his front end up in challenge, Siana stood still. Eyes never leaving his.

Snorting at her, he lowered his head a bit taking in deep breaths of her scent. Offering him her hand, Siana waited for his feet to bring him to her. One foot moved the curiosity shining within his dark molten eyes, eyes that had seen more than many. Once standing before her, Siana rubbed gently over her once tightly held placement on him. A nudge to her belly was all she got in response.

War came to stand beside her, his horse sniffing the old stallion. They squealed, but nothing more. Fighting among one another was pointless, what matter to each stallion was gaining a rider, in hopes of being able to put a place for him in stables for centuries to come. They knew fighting for no purpose to be far more foolish than any human could fathom.

“Were leaving” War grabbing Siana’s arm roughly, pulling her into his lap before kicking his bay off. She shot him a glare wondering what his problem was.

“Call for him, he needs to be hidden from sight.” His words whispered against the breeze. Siana’s eyes widened, the indication that War was doing something he knew was wrong sole her words. He gave her a vibrating growl.

“Do not tell me you did all that for show.” She shook her head sending out a whistle. Moments to hearing his calling, the grey bolted after War’s trailing figure.

War gave his mount the right to gallop his speed, hoping the last of Kin had journeyed back towards the manor for food. He now had a new problem. If Siana was unable to keep her mount, she’d never have one. The ruling for such an occurrence was rare, which was why the ruling wasn’t that large of an issue….until now.

(So I was going to wait to post, but I felt super bad for even thinking that. So here is a little more to hold you over. (^-^)/ vote my minions....vote away and comments please. Do we like Siana's new stallion? )